Randall Kennedy--Black History Month keynote speaker

Randall Kennedy--Black History Month keynote speaker
Photo by Megan Bean

February 2, 2010

Harvard law professor Randall Kennedy discussed the power of names and what black people in the United States have called themselves through the years. As the keynote speaker for Black History Month, Kennedy mentioned the importance of how people define themselves through language. His national bestselling book, "Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word," stirred many people to consider the history and usage of the word.